Oil-can.



A. R. PRITGHARD.

OIL CAN;

APPLICATION mum D110. 1a, 1908.

Patimted 0ct.'25,1910.

WITNESSES fi -"fim ALBERT R. PRITCHARD, OF ROCHES'IER NEW YORK.

OIL-CAN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 16, 1908. Serial No. 467,905.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT R. PRITCHARD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil-Cans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to oil cans provided with faucets or other devices for withdrawing the contents as used, but adapted for transportation to permit them to be filled at a point distant from the place of use.

I Vhere cans of the kind above described are provided with faucets placed in the sides of the cans, they are subject to injury in handling in transportation thereof. If the faucet be placed in the head of the can, it is less liable to injury, but in this case the can must be laid upon its side, in order to withdraw its contents through the faucet.

The object of the present invention is to produce a can of the kind above referred to, having simple and efficient means for supporting the can when laid upon its side. To this end, I provide the can with a device of such form of construction that it is adapted to operate both as a handle for the can, and as a convenient and effective means for supporting the can upon its side. The features 1 of construction by which this is accomplished will be set forth in connection with the illustrated embodiment of the invention hereinafter described.

In the drawings :Figure l is a front elevation of an oil can embodying this invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same can; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same can in the operative position.

The can 1 is of any suitable form, such as circular in cross-section, which is not stable if laid in the horizontal position on a supporting surface with the pouring outlet in the lowest position. In the drawings the can is shown of cylindrical form. It has a top 2 that is fastened at its edges to one end of the body 1. At one side of the top, and near its juncture with the'body, is a faucet 3 of any suitable form, and diametrically opposite on the top 2 from the faucet 3 is the filler tube 4* closed by the screw cap 4:. Air may be admitted to the can to permit the liquid to flow from the faucet 3 by unscrewing the cap 4: to the proper degree. The filler tube A extends from the top of the can so far as to constitute a pouring spout for rapid delivery of the contents of the can. The filler tube 4* is preferably conical, as

shown, in order to be sufiiciently firm and is Patented Oct. 25, 1910.-

ably by'bail ears 5. The connections of the handle with the can are preferably set at diametrical points on the upper edge of the body 1, and at points substantially 90 from the position of the faucet 3, as usual.

The handle 6 has hooked ends 7 engaging with the bail ears 5, and said handle is used also as a foot for supporting the can in a stable manner in the horizontal position, with the faucet 3 or filler tube 4? in convenient position for use.

At the points 8, 8, oflset projections are made in the wire handle 6, preferably at equal distances from the bail ears 5, so as to form separated bearing portions that give a stable bearing against any supporting surface when the can is laid on its side, as will be described. That portion 10 of the handle between the projections 8 is elastic so that it may snap over the beaded top edge 9 of the body 1, and be held back of said beaded edge and against the body of the can by the spring pressure of said middle portion 10, preferably for easy engagement and disengagement of the handle with the beaded edge of the can. Said middle portion 10 is provided with a roller 11, which may be used as the hand grasp of the handle.

If now the hand grasp 11 is rolled over and engages behind the bead 9, as described, the can may be laid upon its side in a sub stantially horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the projections 8 act as feet and support the can in a stable and substantially horizontal position with the faucet 3, or the filler tube 1, as the case may be, near the lowest point of the can. The can may now be vented and its contents withdrawn, except that for removing the last remaining portions of liquid in the can the rear end of the can is lifted, and then the feet 8 act as the fulcrum upon which the can is tilted. That portion of the handle between and including the projections 8 constitutes a single element for the supportingof the can in a stable position, and is a means elastically engaging the side of the can and held thereby.

hat I claim is 1. The combination with an oil can having at the end a beaded edge and an opening in said end, of a bail pivoted at its ends to the can and constructed to spring over and engage under the beaded edge, and having a bearing portion for supporting the can in a stable, substantially horizontal position.

2. The combination with an oil can having at the end a beaded edge and an opening in said end, of a bail pivoted at its ends to the can and constructed to spring over the beaded edge and having separately-offset bearing portions for supporting the can in astable, substantially horizontal position, the bail being provided with a roller handle between said bearing portions.

3. The combination with an oil can having at the end a beaded edge and a faucet in said end, of an elastic wire bail pivoted at its ends to the can and constructed to swing and to spring over the beaded edge, and having separately-offset bearing portions for supporting the can in a stable, substantially horizontal position.

4. The combination With an oil can having at the end a beaded edge, a faucet near one side thereof and a filler tube near the other side thereof, of an elastic wire bail pivoted at its ends to the can and constructed to swing on its pivots and to spring back of the beaded edge in either of two positions for supporting either the faucet or the tiller tube in its lowest position, the said bail having a bearing portion for supporting the can in a stable, substantially horizontal position.

5. The combination with an oil can having at the end a beaded edge and an opening in said end, of an elastic wire bail pivoted at its ends to the can and 0011- structed to swing and to spring over the beaded edge and having separately-offset bearing portions for supporting the can in a stable, substantially horizontal position, and a roller handle on said bail between said bearing portions.

ALBERT R. PRITCHARD.

Vitnesses D. GURNEE, L. TI-ION. 

